Baseball Takes Series From Visiting San Francisco With 8-5 Victory

Sunday, February 16

Riverside, CA

1:00 pm

UC Riverside

2-1

San Francisco

1-2

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
San Francisco	0	1	1	0	1	1	0	0	1	5	13	0
UC Riverside	1	2	0	1	1	2	0	1	X	8	11	1

Photo by: Annishia McKoy

Baseball Takes Series From Visiting San Francisco With 8-5 Victory

2/16/2014 4:36:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Riverside—The UC Riverside Baseball Team improved to 2-1 on the year, and took the season-series from visiting San Francisco with an 8-5 victory over the Dons Sunday afternoon (box score).

By the second inning, the Highlanders matched their entire offensive output from the previous day's 5-3 defeat, scoring one run in the first on a Cody Hough RBI single, and two in the second on a Matt Ellis double and a Joe Chavez ground out. That staked UC Riverside starter Antonio Gonzales a 3-1 lead

San Francisco cut the lead in half in the top of the third after Matt Sinatro led off with a single over first base and moved to third when Gonzales' subsequent pick off attempt sailed into the Dons' bullpen. Nico Giarratano's ground out to short made it a 3-2 ballgame, before Gonzales worked his way out of the inning.

The Highlanders got the run back in the bottom of the fourth when Nick Vilter connected on his second home run in as may days with a two-out shot to left.

Gonzales' night ended in the top of the fifth as he allowed a lead-off single to Bradley Zimmer, plunked Zach Turner, and allowed an RBI single to Derek Atkinson, Angel Landazuri (1-0) came on in relief to get the final out of the inning, and would go on to pick up the win with three and two thirds inning of relief.

Landazuri's offense put him back up by two thanks to a fielder's-choice RBI by Devyn Bolasky in the bottom of the fifth, but the Dons wouldn't go away. A lead-off double by Michael Eaton to start the top of the sixth, followed by two ground outs, once again reduced the Highlanders' lead to one, 5-4.

UC Riverside finally started to create some breathing room in their half of the sixth. After Mark Contreras opened the frame with a walk, he stole second, and moved to third on a Vilter sac bunt. Ellis then singled through the left side putting the Highlanders up two. Joe Chavez drew a walk, and a wild pitch put runners at second and third. Francisco Tellez walked to load the bases, and a Bolasky single through the left side gave UCR a three-run advantage, 7-4.

Languzari retired six of the next seven Dons he faced, and in the bottom of the eighth, the Highlanders doubled up San Francisco as Chavez's double to left center scored Ellis who opened the inning with a walk.

The Dons tried to mount a rally in the top of the ninth getting a one-out double from Zimmer, and an RBI single to left from Turner. After Atkinson laid down a bunt single to put runners at first and second, UC Riverside Coach Doug Smith brought Jordan Kron out of the bullpen to record the final two outs of the game for his first career save.

The Highlanders complete their four-game home stand on Monday as they host Washington state beginning at noon PT.